Category Archive for ‘*My Work’

Backstory: Our bi-monthly doodling group was tasked with coming to the next meeting with a doodle containing our initial, a flower(s) and a square (could be the size of the paper).

I came across my fine line bottle of masking fluid while I was moving things around (again and again) and it was on my mind – so one thing led to another and I wound up with a gouache resist using a mask resist for the lines vs the usual black permanent marker.

I began the drawing on scrap paper using a #2 pencil. Notice the “J”? I refined the drawing and transferred it to the water color paper using a #2 pencil.

Using the FineLiner I drew over the pencil line with the resist. It was set aside to dry thoroughly. Note: The bottle comes with a fine wire attached in the cap that goes into the metal tip to seal it when closed. I take an extra precaution of the glue drying in the tip by washing it out under running water and blowing water thru it before putting back on.

Dried Resist

Using the initial drawing as a mask, I used a Gelli Plate to apply the background colors.

White gouache was painted over the whole page and dried thoroughly.

A solid application of Black Higgins ink was then painted over the white gouache. Note: I have a few different brands of black ink and couldn’t remember what worked best. Higgins wasn’t it 😉 Use Speed Ball Black Ink.

I didn’t take a picture of this flower after the ink was applied, in fact, looking back through my pictures I didn’t take a picture of any of my gouache resist paintings I did after they were inked. Trust me – it was solid black.

After the black ink is thoroughly dry the picture is put under the faucet and washed off. The white qouache is washes off at the same time, leaving what you see below. Note: This is the reason for using water color paper.

Next, the resist is rubbed off using either an eraser and/or a sharp needle tool, being careful not to stick the paper.

This is the painting after all the resist has been removed and the pencil lines erased.

From there it was just a matter of making marks and lines with the Micron pen. I’d outline, dot, and basically make general marks then set it aside and come back later and make more lines, dots and some shading with a #2 pencil until it was done. I had just purchased a bottle of Indian Yellow FW Acrylic Ink (stunning color) so I took this opportunity to thin it down and highlight the grassy area. I have a lot more miscellaneous supplies I wanted to use but stopped myself 😉

This truly is a fun and surprising project. Try a small picture if you’re not sure whether or not you’ll like it or, like me, are sensitive to using supplies on something you may not like (I’m working on getting over this).

I was very good yesterday, I worked all day at putting my studio back together, so I took a little time before calling it a night and made a Pop Out Valentine card. Valentines Day is weeks away so I have a some time to finish it with a verse. In the meantime I’m going to post the card at 95% complete.

I started by drawing a heart on plain copy paper. I divided the heart into 5 sections using the Borderlines edging ruler I purchased from Creative Memories 20 years ago (yea I hang on to things) and then doodled the 5 sections (I forgot I had Borderlines rulers until I was moving things around).

I photo copied the drawn and doodled heart onto white card stock then colored various areas using an Inktense, Poppy Red, pencil (blended w/water) and then shaded with a #2 pencil. It looked a little naked so I added a couple of black lines around the original heart shape so it would stand out. The heart was then cut at the bottom of the thick black lines, at each section going from left to right, not cutting the sides, creating 5 pop out section sections.

Top view of sections 1, 3 and 5 popped out.

I couldn’t decide which sections I wanted popped out so I only adhered the outside of the white card stock to the red card stock (using double stick tape).

Sections 2 and 4 popped out

Sections 2 and 4 popped out.

Notes:

*I trim the edges of every cut with a black marker.

*I’m able to get an exact mat border around the white card stock using “Perfect Layers” rulers.

Thanks for sticking with me here while I find my artistic footing. Janet

I swear I was done playing with my Fred Mullett and Art Impressions stamps (BTW I got the three ladies stamps, unused, at the Random Arts yard sale – where the shop AND customers sell used and unused supplies). But it’s really cold outside and I didn’t want to go get more boxes to unpack.

I made this box housing a tray and journal for my friend Bonnie who is fighting a battle with cancer.

Of all the book jackets I have in my stash I didn’t have one I felt suited my vision. Most of the thick books useful in this type of box with a tray are generally thrillers written by Patterson, Connelly, etc. with titles no one, facing the challenge she’s facing, would think “uplifting”.

The jacket I ultimately used was from a book I found at a used book store (a true chore for me I tell ya – having to rummage through a book store;). The title was the key for me; the cover picture wasn’t significant so I covered it.

Bonnie’s favorite color is Red – a color that denotes to me courage, strength and passion. I’ve had this handmade paper, made in Nepal, in my stash for years waiting on the right occasion. It’s called “Red Batik Floating Flower” – it has a lovely waxy quality to it.

This is where things got a little squirrely for me and I had to get out of my head and just go with my intuition.

My natural inclination was to line the box with red or the paper bag brown used in the background of the batik paper. But I felt that within the courage, strength and passion of the red – some peace was needed – hence the blue.

Box with tray inserted – Lady Bug Knob

The hamster wheel that is my brain felt the need to collage the inside of the box, making it more interesting. Thankfully, Honey (my inner me) said NO!, this is her journey; she should do with it what she wants. She is a master at collage – I’m hoping she’ll let loose and collage the hell out of it

I made a journal for the lower half of the box. The journal is one signature of watercolor paper and one hand made RED envelope held together with a pamphlet stitch.

I don’t love everything I make. Sometimes I have an idea I have to get out of my head AND once I do I’m good to move on – not trying to make it perfect.

For example:

I must have gotten a bag of vintage cup cake pics at a yard sale for a $1 or $2 (since I don’t collect them). I put them in a vintage Tang pitcher and set them on the shelf.

I belong to the most fabulous, inspiring and supportive FB group moderated by Sherri Welser (artist) – “Art Supply Junkies Unite”. Someone posted a picture of candle holding cake pics. Well, shoot, I had a vintage Tang jar full of cup cake pics and one thing led to another. I needed to make something (honestly, this group is so inspiring!) so I proceeded to make a holder for the pics that could be hung on the wall. Three units were enough to hold one each of the pics – I put the duplicates back in the Tang jar.

Using some of my black laminated foam core (a stash from used engineering presentations) I cut 2″ x 13″ strips for the back and 2″ x 1 1/2″ pieces for the shelves.

* At 1 1/2″ increments I cut 1/4″ strips out of the back of the 2″ x 13″ pieces. I then hot glued the 2″ x 1 1/2″ shelves in place and inserted the pics.

In a hurry to move on to something else I made three units of cup cake pic holders. If I were making these for someone else I may have put wash tape around the edges.

I have stamps, a lot of them. I don’t use them very often – but I have them. I never heard of Fred Mullett stamps until they showed up at Random Arts in Saluda. Jane used a water color paint technique with this fish stamp. That’s all it took..

I knew I couldn’t just stamp a fish and I couldn’t get this idea out of my head….

* Golden paint was applied to a Gelli Plate and applied to the paper first, then on Napoleon’s pants. I doodled water marks on the paint but it’s too light to see.

* Water color paints were applied to the stamp prior to stamping on the paper. Slits were made in the paper so Napoleon could be slipped in to appear as though he’s wearing a fish suit.

Then I tried something a little more conventional…

* Water color paints were applied to the stamp prior to stamping on the paper. The most prominent fish was stamped first – then the others were stamped randomly without applying more paint to the stamp. The prominent 1/2 fish was stamped after applying more paint to the stamp. The most prominent fish components were outlined with a Copic 003 pen. The lighter fish components were highlighted with a #2 pencil.

* Everything else is free hand and doodled with a 003 Copic pen

COULDN’T HELP MYSELF AND KEPT PLAYING WITH THE FISH STAMPS….

* The top half is an Art Impressions stamp stamped with Momento black ink on a 3″ x 7″ scrap piece of paper, colored with pencils.

* The bottom half is the tail of the Fred Mullett Fish stamp – stamped with watercolor paints and doodled.

* I gelli printed the background using golden paints. Then the Fred Mullett fish stamp was stamped on a 4″ x 10″ Arches Watercolor Block, using watercolor paints and doodled with a 003 Copic pen. I used a Copic 003 pen to outline some highlights and color pencils were used to highlight around the fish.

A friend posted this picture of an Ornamental Tree Trunk Spider – (Herennia Ornatissima) Monochrome by ElephantVisionPhoto on Facebook. I suggested that it would make an interesting doodle and proceeded to give it a go.

I taped the picture to my worktable and then taped a piece of tracing paper over that:

If you look closely you can see where I traced over the outline of the spider and various areas of interest:

This picture shows what the tracing looks like without the picture behind it:

Short story… I wanted to make something different for a special, incredibly talented, artist. I went to her blog and found a post titled “Things To Do Before The Zombie Apocalypse” – things rocketed on from there.

I lead a rather boring life and am not too familiar with Zombies. I’m more afraid of not getting my art studio pulled together after having moved from GA to NC than I am of Zombies. In fact I think Zombies would be an easier issue. Just sayin…

Book:2 1/2″W x 3″T x 9/16″ D I took a FABULOUS workshop from Hollis Fouts (hollisfouts.com/gallery) on copper etching book covers and decided to use this technique for the book covers.

Covers – The title was taken from the artist’s post. The copper covers were etched after applying vinyl stickers for the title, the script via a rubber stamp and (the artist wears her hair in braids) I drew braids on both sides of the front cover with a sharpie.

Signatures – 5 signatures using 90lb Canson mixed media paper. Each page has torn edges. Written in Micron Pen on the fold of each signature is one way to destroy a Zombie (useful when the apocalypse occurs).

Binding – Coptic Bound

2 1/2″ W x 3″ T x 9/16″ D – Copper, etched covers, Coptic Bound

I couldn’t leave it at that…

CLAM SHELL BOX: 5″W x 7 1/4″T x 3/4″D

Open clam shell box. Book and casket inset into bottom.

Glassine envelope holding a list of 10 Zombie Facts is glued to underside of lid.

Jacket: In my “stash” I had a book jacket from 1938 titled “Devil’s Saddle” – it seemed to fit the Zombie theme.

The casket lid was set low so the lid would close after the polymer clay hands were put in place.

Book board sandwiched between two sheets of very thin wood veneer. The sides were painted gold to hide the joining.

Box construction

Aside from the standard process of building a clam shell…the bottom structure was built with only one side, turned over to cut out the two sections, then the back was glued in place.

Covered with distressed paper.

Covered insets with black crinkled paper.

The walls for the insets were glued in place after the bottom of the box was made.

The insets were then cut out.

The bottom panel, closing in the structure, was glued in place. It was turned over and glued to the book jacket.

OK, OK – I noticed JUST NOW while writing this post that Apocalypse is spelled wrong on the book. Do you know how many people have seen this book and how many times I’ve handled this book? A lot! SO, do I go ahead and send it?

The misspelling of Apocalypse aside – It felt soooooo good putting the reconstruction of my art studio aside and making this book and clam shell box.

First, let me apologize for the pictures. We’re close to finishing my studio and getting my supplies and furniture out of storage. In the meantime I’m still working on my kitchen counter and, if space wasn’t an issue, it’s been a beautiful rainy day with a gray sky – therefore not the best light for photography. Wait till you see the home made set up that’s going in my studio.

Twice a month I meet with a group of fabulous artists at Random Arts in Saluda, NC. It’s a Zen Doodling group – we meet from 10 am to 12 pm to share doodles/tangles and pretty much anything. It’s a positive group.

At our last meeting we set a challenge for ourselves to bring a doodled ATC ( 2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ Artist Trading Card) to the next group. The only requirement was that it contain the color Orange.

Card: I cut a 2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ window in a template from cardboard, a piece of 3″ x 4″ vintage newspaper to draw the design on and a piece of 3″ x 4″ mixed media paper to back the design. The purpose for the template was to give me a window to help be decide what I wanted keep on the card after I finished it and cut the papers down to size).

Design: First I dry brushed white gesso lightly over the vintage newspaper. Using a pencil I drew the picture I had drawn on the back of an envelope on the gessoed paper. As I go along I blend the pencil and color the image with the color pencils and draw over the main pencil lines with the black Micron pen.

Finish: After the drawing is complete, and prior to cutting down to size, I glue the mixed media paper to the back of the vintage paper and let dry. Then I applied torn pieces of the vintage paper over mixed media paper with the Matte Medium. Both sides of the ATC were then brushed with Fluid Matte Medium and let dry. I used the template to decide what area I want to cut away. I cut out the ATC and use a marker to blacken the edges.

NOTES:

* Blending the pencil lines over the gesso was fabulous! So exciting.

* The Fluid Matte Medium reconstitutes the white gel ink and smears it. I had to finagle the white spots a little after I covered it with the medium.

* My corner rounder is in storage. I used a dime to round the corners.

* If I had my distress inks I would have distressed the edges.

* Woulda/Coulda/Shoulda: My work is a little stiff (Oh well) and I want to add some words to the surface of the cards. It’s just that going thru various papers/books to find the right one is so TEDIOUS! AND my antique typewriters are in storage. AHHHHHH!

If the Focus Book workshop finishes early we’re going to make this journal structure…

Pamphlet Stitched Journal with Collaged Cover

Design Considerations:
I wanted a journal structure that used supplies most folks would have on hand and involved minimal, if any, sewing. It should be easy to assemble and easy to decorate (I, however, couldn’t stand it and decorated mine with a map and then tissue and stamps on top of that).

11. Fold the left side of the cover over to the right and the flap and tab on top of that. Mark on the cover where the corners of the tab meet the flap and cut a 2 1/4″ slit for the tab to be inserted in.

Story:
I’ve been caught up in the Gouache technique. Where you paint a picture in acrylic paint, paint over it with white gouache water color, paint over that with india ink and then wash the gouache and ink off under running water. You’re never quite sure what result you’ll get – it’s pretty cool.

Big, simple, picture drawn with a Sharpie marker and
painted with acrylics.

Painted areas covered in white gouache paint.

Picture AFTER india ink had been brushed over the entire picture
(after painting on the gouache paint) and washed off – and final
doodling was applied.

Delema: Sooooo, I’m making all these pictures – all 5 1/2″ x 5″ and I wanted a safe place to put them (safe as in ” so I don’t lose them in my art studio – which is all of my house).Design thoughts:
1. All the pictures are the same size and I’ll continue working in that size.
2. I have a remnant of a new rubber car mat that I “saved” from the trash. I LOVE an excuse to repurpose something.
3. What kind of book could I make that would be flexible so the artwork could be taken out later to be worked on, added to, or given away?

Result:
1. Origami folded paper creating 4 corner pockets per sheet (no cutting). Two of these sheets are glued back to back around a hinge (made using duck tape).
2. A cover made from one piece of rubber car mat.
3. All held together with two screws and acorn nuts allowing the book to expand if needed.

Although, admittedly, I’m an impulse opportunity shopper I don’t like to buy duplicates of supplies I have at home.

Soooooo, after an inspiring Tuesday of Zen Doodling at Random Arts (where most of my Golden fluids shopping happens) I created an inventory color chart in excel of Golden Fluid paints AND made a handy little wallet painted with the gouache technique, followed by doodling, to put it in.

Design:
* Water color paper was needed for the cover so I could use the gouache technique that uses acrylic paints, gouache, ink and water.
* The Golden Fluids inventory color chart was printed on card stock and glued to one of two accordion folds incorporated in the cover.
* A blank sheet of the water color paper (for inspiration and color testing) was glued to the second accordion fold.
* A description of the various Golden Fluids and their uses was printed and glued to the inside covers for future reference.
* After finishing the gouache technique I doodled the design and assembled the wallet.

Open wallet (accordian folds in center)

Closed – Front of wallet

Closed – Back of wallet

Open wallet with Golden Fluids color chart attached to one of two accordion folds.

Accomplishing two very FUN projects in one made me very happy:
1) Putting the inventory sheet in excel. LOVE excel! It was time consuming because I copied and pasted each color swatch to a cell next to the color name. Then I fiddled around with it until it fit the wallet, folded into thirds. FUN!
2) Gouache – needed an excuse to make something with the gouache technique. This was bigger than I’ve done before. FUN, again!

I’ve been doodling some, making books and buying duplicate of art supplies that I can’t get to in “lock up”. Luckily Random Arts is having their Artist’s yard sale in October and I can sell some of the duplicates there (my studio should be finished by then).

While lost in Pinterest (this should be a sit com) I came across this marvelous tutorial by Jane Davies on creating a Panel Book – see it HERE. I had been working on a pop-up design for our 2015 Christmas Cards but I like the simplicity of this Panel Book a lot more (it’s got to be easier than my 2011 Christmas Card – HERE).

This is my draft (5 5/8″ x 7 1/4″) of the card. The panels are a result of the cuts INTO the accordion – so the panels swing open and closed as you open and close the card. I doodled the letters on mixed media paper and adhered them to the panels.

My plan is to reduce the size and work on the background and cover designs between now and December 25th (yes, I’m one of those that works best under pressure).

Supplies listed below.

I reduced the accordion fold down to 3 panels from 6.

Top view

Single panel view. The hinge is incorporated into the accordion.

This is SO versatile.

* The covers are simple card board. Not sure if I’ll use a heavy card stock or mat board for the finished product.
* The accordion paper is a light weight (but stiff) decorative paper (original size approx 24″x20″) that I drew some simple designs on.
* Black card stock (1/”8 larger than the doodled card) was glued to the panel first.
* I doodled the letters on mixed media paper and glued them on top of the black card stock.
* I used double sided tape to put the components together but glue stick would work too.

Contact me if you have any questions or have made this before. I’d love to see a picture.

There is a long blank wall in my dining room. The art from our Atlanta house is out of place here. In moving “things” around, in and out of boxes, I came across two brand new 12″ x 36″ Showbox Gallery Wrapped canvas’s (there’s a small, 3″ x 18″, niche in the center of each one).

I’m going to stack them on top of one another (end to center – not end to end), connect them in the back, paint a Gouache Resist picture of a garden on them and then fill the niche with miniature people picnicking and gardening (as though they live underground). Granted it may be Winter again before I’m finished – but I have a plan!

To make sure I “got it”, I painted these two individual flowers the next day after the mini workshop I took at Random Arts in Saluda. I’m hoping with time and practice I’ll loosen up a bit – kinda doubt it – but I’m going to try.

Then, having only used water color paper with Gouache Resist I decided to experiment with a 10″ x 10″ wrapped canvas to make sure I could use this technique on the dining room art project.

Here it is… this my interpretation of a photograph I saw of a woman holding an umbrella. The title, which I’ll print or collage somewhere on top is “I’m wearing the smile you gave me”.

Japanese Umbrella – 10″ x 10″ wrapped canvas

On this one I used Golden acrylic (super pigmented), casein paint, white pen, black Sharpie marker, various 01 and 05 black pens and FW ink.

There is a definite technique to getting the right coverage of white Gouache on your picture in the places you want to create more interest with the black ink. It’s probably more involved than I’ll want to get at this point (this art phase may only stick with me until I get my book binding supplies and rusty stuff out of storage) but it’s interesting and random looks just as good.

If you haven’t – you should give this a try – it’s a blast. If you have – send me a picture.

I couldn’t find (quickly) night stands that coordinated with the headboard I made. So having previously made, and set free, two side tables using these wood storage boxes I thought I’d try it again.

Plain box prior to staining

1. I stained the boxes

1st Stain – A penetrating stain

Taped off design

2nd Stain – Result after 1st application of Gel Stain

Result after 2nd application of Gel Stain

Design decision: I glued two glass blocks together with GE Silicone II clear. I decided that the flat front of the block took away from the design on the front of the box vs the side of the blocks showing straight lines. I glued the glass blocks to the box with GE Silicone II clear glue.

First things first – two finished products (headboard and night stand)….

I just finished making the side table from an unfinished wood box – that’s the next post.

I absolutely adore the color we painted our bedroom – Palladian Blue (look the color up on Houzz.com – they have a truer picture of the color). It has a slight grey undertone that changes hue as the day’s light changes.

As I lived with just the painted walls and a bed in the room for months before we were able to move in, I began to dread filling the room and walls with furniture and decor items – hiding the restful wall color.

So I started looking for a “fretwork” headboard – open wood work that would let the wall color show thru. They’re not trendy right now so it wasn’t easy finding them. When I did find one online – they were only available online and not available for viewing in showrooms. I’m not buying such a large purchase without touching it. So, I held off (and it was killing me).

When we unloaded the attic in preparation for moving I found this privacy screen that had been up there for about 10 years (I know, I know, I REALLY hold on to stuff). (It had three panels held together with hinges but I had already taken one off before I remembered to take a picture)

It’s made of a light weight wood, backed by paper. I didn’t discover until cutting out the sections that – what appeared as a solid sheet of handmade paper backing each panel – was actually a hard foam type panel covered on both sides with the paper.

Back of panels

Panel after cutting out large sections and before staining

I cut out the paper/foam panel that covered the larger sections of the panels. The remaining paper backed sections and wood were stained.

I brushed on a penetrating stain first – then put on and wiped off a darker walnut GEL STAIN (my fav).

After the stain had dried – the two panels were connected using a flat stock metal brace. The headboard is very light. It was attached to the wall using alligator hangers and a couple of nails.

I didn’t stain the back

Side Note regarding the stain I used: Originally, our house had reddish stained wood doors, window casings and moldings. We’ve replaced the baseboards with taller boards and added a larger crown moulding (using the old baseboards as part of a larger crown moulding). All base and crown were painted “snowbound” – an off white. The existing window casings and doors were stained a walnut color to create a warmer tone, using Gel Stain. When a bare piece of wood was needed to match a door we moved, Mr. Merrill of Merrill Paint & Decorating in Hendersonville, NC matched the color of the original stain on the old wood in a penetrating stain. I put that on the bare wood first – then the Walnut Gel Stain so the woodwork would look uniform throughout the house.

The remodeled kitchen is almost complete. We selected backsplash tile this past weekend and hope to install within the next few weeks. I’ll post before and after pictures when we’re finished.

In the meantime I needed a place to store my cutting boards when not in use. On Pinterest I saw where some clever folks used a magazine holder attached to the inside of the cabinet door to store their cutting boards.

I use three different size (on the small side) cutting boards and wanted them separated so I didn’t have to thumb thru them in a hurry.

I found a metal mesh desk top file sorter at Target for $12.95 that suited my needs perfectly…

I couldn’t help it – I got a bottle tree for my front yard hoping the folks passing by will get as much of a kick out of it as I do.

My daughter saved up and collected wine bottles for me. They prefer red wines over whites so the bottles are various shades of green. I added a few colorful store bought bottles and then, because I’ve become obsessed with glass flowers made from recycled dish ware, I decided my tree needed to begin blooming to be in full bloom come Spring.

I still need a few more bottles on the tree.

The first flower is made up of dish ware from thrift stores; long green glass vase, clear cut glass bowl, peach glass light shade, green glass candle holder and a few red glass pebbles (total cost approx $6). I only used Locktite Glue for Glass to assemble the flower.

Here are a couple of close ups of the first bloom. Imagine the Bottle Tree in FULL BLOOM!

Front View of Flower

Side View of Flower

It’s not easy finding cheap, discarded, glass ware around here. There are more resale shops with little booths in them than there are thrift stores so the owners hit the thrift stores early to look for things to re-sell. But I’ll persevere and send out another post when the tree is in full bloom.